IMDb >
Canaris (1954)
Watch It
Buy it at Amazon
Rent it at Blockbuster.com
Discuss in Boards More at IMDb Pro Add to My Movies Update Data
BETA
Discuss in Boards More at IMDb Pro Add to My Movies Update Data
Quicklinks
Top Links
trailers and videosfull cast and crewtriviaofficial sitesmemorable quotesOverview
main detailscombined detailsfull cast and crewcompany creditstv scheduleAwards & Reviews
user commentsexternal reviewsnewsgroup reviewsawardsuser ratingsparents guiderecommendationsmessage boardPlot & Quotes
plot summarysynopsisplot keywordsAmazon.com summarymemorable quotesFun Stuff
triviagoofssoundtrack listingcrazy creditsalternate versionsmovie connectionsFAQOther Info
merchandising linksbox office/businessrelease datesfilming locationstechnical specslaserdisc detailsDVD detailsliterature listingsNewsDeskPromotional
taglines trailers and videos posters photo galleryExternal Links
showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clipsCanaris (1954) More at IMDbPro »
Overview
User Rating:
Release Date:
6 May 1955 (Belgium) morePlot:
Admiral Canaris is chief of the intelligence service of Nazi Germany. His department is quite successful... more | add synopsisAwards:
5 wins moreUser Comments:
Brilliant biopic, not 100 % historically correct, but nice more (1 total)Cast
(Cast overview, first billed only)| O.E. Hasse | ... | Adm. Canaris | |
| Barbara Rütting | ... | Irene von Harbeck | |
| Adrian Hoven | ... | Capt. Althoff | |
| Martin Held | ... | Obergruppenfuehrer Heydrich | |
| Wolfgang Preiss | ... | Col. Holl | |
| Peter Mosbacher | ... | Fernandez | |
| Charles Régnier | ... | Baron Trenti | |
| Franz Essel | ... | Beckmann | |
| Alice Treff | ... | Fräulein Winter | |
| Herbert Wilk | ... | Col. Degenhard | |
| Klaus Miedel | ... | André, franz. Offizier (as Claus Miedel) | |
| Arthur Schröder | ... | Herr von Harbeck | |
| Ilse Fürstenberg | ... | Frau Lüdike | |
| Arno Paulsen | ... | Taxifahrer (Berlin) | |
| Nora Hagist |
Additional Details
Also Known As:
Canaris Master Spy (UK)Canaris: Master Spy (USA)
Deadly Decision (USA)
Ein Leben für Deutschland - Admiral Canaris (West Germany)
more
Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parentsRuntime:
92 min | West Germany:112 minCountry:
West GermanyLanguage:
GermanColor:
Black and WhiteAspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 moreSound Mix:
MonoFAQ
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.more (1 total)
Message Boards
Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Canaris (1954)Recommendations
If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
Show more recommendations
|
|
|
|
|
| Valkyrie | The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp | The Longest Day | Es geschah am 20. Juli | Stauffenberg |
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
Related Links
| Full cast and crew | Company credits | IMDb Biography section |
| IMDb West Germany section | Add this title to MyMovies |

There seem to have slipped an error inside the plot, as outlined above. (concerning "Irene Heydrich")
In fact, Wilhelm Canaris is the head of the Abwehr, which is the counter espionage service of the Armed Forces. His rival is the super ambitious R. Heydrich, who is dreaming of concentrating all the spy and counter spy operations within his RSHA, which already includes the Gestapo. Canaris is against the brutal tactics of the Nazi services, and sees the activities of secret services more as a game between foxes, trying to outsmart each other. So, interrogations don't involve beatings or harsh treatments, but a drink, a smoke and lots of friendly persuasion. Famous successes of the Abwehr are the Englandspiel (see the movie London ruft Nordpol) and the French turncoat 'La Chatte', who gave away lots of names of the French Résistance. In this movie, Heydrich always was extremely curious to know about what the Abwehr was up to. He forces Irene von Harbeck to spy upon Canaris. The Abwehr chief gave forged papers to her father, but was arrested by Heydrich's services. If she doesn't help him, her father will get a very severe treatment. But stupidly enough, it is a high ranking RHSA-man who brings her to the Abwehr-building, and the driver gets reckognised by one of Canaris' top aides, who just was entering the building. In the end, Irene confesses that Heydrich has blackmailed her, and a bit later, Heydrich dies in an ambush in Prague.(see movie: Operatio Daybreak). Where Heydrich had direct contacts with Hitler, Canaris has to go through different bureaucratic ways to try to reach Hitler. But in the end, the German dictator shuts himself for any bad news, and very reliable reports about 30 new and fresh Russian divisions marching to Stalingrad don't end up on his desk. (For a brilliant portrait of the gradual degeneration of Hitler, see the movie Den Untergang). Canaris -already sympathetic to that cause- then joins the anti-Hitler forces. The plot fail and he gets arrested. He was executed the day before the end of the war, on strict orders of Hitler.
Lots of interesting historic documents throughout the movie